A stent is a generally cylindrical prosthesis introduced via a catheter into a lumen of a body vessel in a collapsed configuration having a generally reduced diameter and then expanded to the diameter of the vessel. In the expanded configuration, the stent supports and reinforces the vessel walls while maintaining the vessel in an open, unobstructed condition. Stents may be self-expanding or balloon-expandable. Balloon expandable stents are expanded by placing the stent on a deflated balloon catheter and by inflating the delivery balloon at the location where the stent is to be placed.
It has been observed that, during the inflation of the delivery balloon, the stent may shift. Segmented stents have segments configured to detach from one another to allow for independent expansion of each segment, especially in vessels having significantly varying cross-sections in the implant location. During the delivery and inflation process, these segments might additionally shift relative to one another.